W Hotels Wraps Comfort and Hope around Women with Breast Cancer with ''Robes to Recovery'' Initiative

This season W Hotels wraps comfort, encouragement and hope aroundwomen with breast cancer and their families with the launch of its"Robes to Recovery" campaign. Combining innovation, inspiration, and acadre of style icons who strongly support the company and its latestphilanthropic initiative, W Hotels Worldwide has spearheaded apartnership with the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA)and its charitable initiative, Fashion Targets Breast Cancer (FTBC),to raise much-needed funds for women with breast cancer and theirfamilies. Nearly 30 of the world's most renowned designers, includingCarolina Herrera, Cynthia Rowley, Diane von Furstenberg, Michael Kors,and Vivienne Tam, have joined forces to create their own signatureversion of the chic W bathrobe in support of W's "Robes to Recovery"initiative. These designer robes will be auctioned off for charity oneBay next month with 100 percent of the proceeds benefiting FTBC.

As W enters its sixth year of participation in New York FashionWeek, 13 of these runway-ready bathrobes are on display at theentrance of the Bryant Park tents through September 15. The remainingdesigner robes will be on rotation at select W properties in New Yorkand throughout the country. All 29 robes will be auctioned off on eBaybeginning October 23rd with the bidding to end on November 2nd.

"We were inspired to create this initiative by courageous womenall over the world who have shared their remarkable stories with us,"said Ross Klein, President, W Hotels Worldwide. "With the incrediblesupport and passion of the designers participating in this project andFTBC, we have redefined the robe to be the ultimate symbol ofencouragement and recovery for women as they progress through theirhealing journey."

W's "Robes to Recovery" design partners include: Alvin Valley,Betsey Johnson, Carolina Herrera, Cynthia Rowley, Cynthia Steffe,Diane von Furstenberg, Doo-Ri Chung, Francisco Costa, Gwen Stefani,Heatherette, Jeff Mahshie for Chaiken, Juicy Couture, Kay Unger, KevinCarrigan for Calvin Klein/CK Studios, Leigh Bantivoglio, Liz Lange,Luca Orlandi for Luca Luca, Michael Kors, Nanette Lepore, NarcisoRodriguez, Peter Som, Rachel Roy, Rebecca Taylor, Reed Krakoff forCoach, Stan Herman, Tracey Reese, Vivienne Tam, and Yeohlee.

In conjunction with W's "Robes to Recovery," the company has alsocreated its own limited edition FTBC co-branded bathrobe, a Wsignature robe featuring the FTBC logo which will be sold atwhotels.com, W hotels the Store and on eBay during the auction period.Twenty-five percent of the net proceeds from the sales will benefitFTBC.

"Breast cancer affects us all and we're proud that we are able tocontribute to women who need our support, whether through our Robes toRecovery initiative, the compassion rates we offer to those undergoingtreatment, or simply by a hug, smile and words of encouragement,"continued Klein.

About W Hotels

W Hotels is a global lifestyle brand with 20 properties in vibrantcities around the world. Inspiring and indulging its guests withthoughtful, refreshing and stylish experiences, signature restaurants,bars and destination spas, W has become the fastest growing luxuryhotel brand in the world. Each hotel offers a unique mix of innovativedesign, comfort and cultural influences from fashion to music to artand everything in between. The latest openings include W Dallas inJune of 2006, W's first property in Asia, W Seoul - Walkerhill, whichopened in August of 2004 and its first property in Canada, W Montreal,in October of 2004. Residence properties, offering the W lifestyle athome, have been announced for Dallas, Fort Lauderdale, Scottsdale andHoboken. In addition, there are more than a dozen W Hotels in thedevelopment pipeline in city and resort destinations. For moreinformation, visit www.whotels.com.

About Fashion Targets Breast Cancer(R)

Fashion Targets Breast Cancer (FTBC) is a worldwide charitableinitiative of the Council of Fashion Designers of America/CFDAFoundation. The CFDA Foundation, through FTBC, is committed toproviding meaningful assistance to women with breast cancer and theirfamilies, friends and other supporters by rallying designers, models,retailers, and other creative energies within the fashion industry.

The CFDA Foundation commits proceeds raised from FTBC campaigns tohelping women concerned about or diagnosed with breast cancer gainaccess to reliable health information and quality health care, and tosupporting education and outreach programs. Since its launch in 1994,Fashion Targets Breast Cancer has raised over $40 million fordistribution to breast cancer charities in 13 countries.

FTBC currently conducts campaigns in Australia, Brazil, Canada,Cyprus, Greece, Ireland, Japan, Portugal, Turkey, the United Kingdomand the United States. For more information, visitwww.fashiontargetsbreastcancer.org.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE:HOT) is one of theleading hotel and leisure companies in the world with approximately850 properties in more than 95 countries and 145,000 employees at itsowned and managed properties. Starwood(R) Hotels is a fully integratedowner, operator and franchisor of hotels and resorts with thefollowing internationally renowned brands: St. Regis(R), The LuxuryCollection(R), Sheraton(R), Westin(R), Four Points(R) by Sheraton,W(R), Le Meridien(R) and the recently announced aloft(SM). StarwoodHotels also owns Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc., one of the premierdevelopers and operators of high quality vacation interval ownershipresorts. For more information, please visit www.starwoodhotels.com.

(Note: This press release contains forward-looking statementswithin the meaning of federal securities regulations. Forward-lookingstatements are not guarantees of future performance or events andinvolve risks and uncertainties and other factors that may causeactual results or events to differ materially from those anticipatedat the time the forward-looking statements are made. These risks anduncertainties are presented in detail in our filings with theSecurities and Exchange Commission. Although we believe theexpectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are basedupon reasonable assumptions, we can give no assurance that ourexpectations will be attained or that results and events will notmaterially differ. We undertake no obligation to publicly update orrevise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of newinformation, future events or otherwise.)